Hurricanes Katrina and Rita Recovery Facilitation Act of 2007

Floor Speech

HURRICANES KATRINA AND RITA RECOVERY FACILITATION ACT OF 2007 -- (Extensions of Remarks - November 01, 2007)

SPEECH OF HON. BENNIE G. THOMPSON OF MISSISSIPPI IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES MONDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2007

* Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3247, the Hurricanes Katrina and Rita Recovery Facilitation Act of 2007. This bill directs the President to increase to 90 percent the amount of Federal contributions for replacing any State or local government property damaged by the hurricanes. Enactment of this bill is critical if we are going to finally rebuild the historic and vital infrastructure in Mississippi and Louisiana.

* This bill also addresses a variety of other issues of importance toward rebuilding communities in Mississippi and Louisiana including temporary housing for volunteers, debris removal program eligibility for Mississippi and Louisiana, providing for respectful care and interment of human remains damaged during the hurricanes, restoring certain public facilities and providing incentives for certain hazard mitigation projects. All of these are important steps toward rebuilding our vibrant Gulf Coast communities.

* Madam Speaker, this bill is welcomed, as both Louisiana and Mississippi are still rebuilding from the damages caused by the storms. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) reported in August that some communities are still without basic needs--such as schools, hospitals, and other infrastructure. In addition to these basic community needs, many are still without jobs because the doors of many businesses remain closed. Estimates from the Congressional Budget Office put, capital losses resulting from both hurricanes in the range of $70 to $130 billion. The GAO report further found that a substantial portion of the billions of dollars in assistance to the Gulf Coast was directed to short-term needs, leaving a smaller portion for long-term rebuilding. To date, the Federal government has provided most long-term rebuilding assistance to the Gulf Coast states through two key programs: FEMA's Public Assistance Program and the Department of Housing and Urban Development's Community Development Block Grant program (CDBG). Both States allocated a bulk of their CDBG funds to homeowner assistance, thus, creating a need for supplemental public assistance funds to focus on rebuilding and restoring critical infrastructure, such as government facilities, which funding this bill provides.

* The increased assistance from the Federal government to Louisiana and Mississippi to rebuild their infrastructure through FEMA's public assistance program will help with the financial burden they face and will allow the process, which has thus far been daunting, to proceed more rapidly. This legislation is a step forward because it increases Federal assistance toward the rebuilding process and provides needed changes to the Stafford Act.

* And, as we focus on rebuilding infrastructure in Louisiana and Mississippi, we must not forget that many of the child care facilities were damaged and even destroyed, while parents struggled to find a safe place to leave their children while regrouping. Many child care facility owners are still waiting to hear from FEMA about financial assistance. Because I recognize the importance of emergency child care after a disaster, I introduced H.R. 2479, the Emergency Child Care Services Act, which was referred to the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. This bill would amend the Stafford Act to designate emergency child care as a ``critical service'' that is eligible to receive disaster assistance from FEMA. Recently, I have received calls from colleagues who represent areas affected by the California wildfires, inquiring about the bill's status. I am disappointed that the Emergency Child Care bill was not included in the bill debated on the floor today. It is my hope that my bill will be successfully passed out of Committee in the near future.

* As Chairman of the Homeland Security Committee with oversight of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), of which FEMA is a part, our Committee works diligently to ensure that DHS and all of its components are prepared to respond to acts of terrorism, natural disasters and other emergencies. This bill will help rebuild our communities in both Louisiana and Mississippi and help with preparedness efforts for future incidents.

* In closing, let me thank my colleagues on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee for their leadership on this legislation, and in particular, Ms. Norton, who is also a member of the Committee on Homeland Security, for spearheading this effort. I look forward to working with Chairman Oberstar, Ms. Norton and others on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee to assure that our Federal disaster and post-terrorism response capabilities are at the level that the American people deserve. I encourage my colleagues to support this legislation.

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